Drive-gear.



PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904.

A. MILLS.

DRIVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14, 1904 N0 MODEL.

UNTTnn STATES Patented November 22, 1904. l I

PATENT @Trrcn.

DRIVE-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 775,476, dated November 22, 1 904.

Application filed March 14, 1904. Serial No. 198,129. \No modelf.

To It 1117710771, if nm/y cone/ .7712:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aukum, in the county of Eldorado and State of California, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Drive-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

The primal object of this invention is to devise a gearing of novel formation for use in connection with carriers designed to operate in mountainous and rough country, so as to materially lessen the draft by obviating binding between the intermeshing power-transmitting gearing. WVhen traveling over mountainous and rough country, the wheels of the wagon or carrier and the body thereof are subjected to severe jolt and strain; andit is the purpose of this invention to obviate binding of the intermeshing cog-teeth. It is also contem plated to embody the invention in the construction of mechanically-driven vehicles and carriers of every description, the gearing being of such formation as to admit of being thrown into and out of action at the will of the operator and to preclude possible binding of the parts by reason of jar and jolt or the passage of the vehicle-wheels over obstructionssuch as stones, roots, and the likewhich would tend to cause the wheel either to move forward or backward a slight distance.

In accordance with this invention a translator is interposed between the driver and the part to be driven and has a limited play with reference thereto, so as to compensate for the relative movement of the driver and the part to be driven, which under usual conditions will cause a binding thereof.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for efl'ecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modiiication, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drive-wheel embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the drive-gearing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line X X of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The drive-wheel 1 may be of any construction, such as employed in the manufacture of wheels for traction engines, mountainwagons, and carriers of every description.

The drive-wheel is provided with a toothed rim 2,- constituting the driven element, since it is the recipient of the power expended for driving the wheel and impelling the part supported or connected thereto. This toothed rim or driven element 2 is preferably separate from the drive-wheel and is clipped or otherwise fastened thereto. The teeth, cogs, or projections 10 of the rim 2 of the driven element are preferably arranged upon the inner side and are square and spaced apart a determinate distance.

The driver 3 consists of a cog-wheel of ordinary construction and is mounted upon a shaft 4, which is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power. A clutch 5 of any design is employed for throwing the driver 3 into and out of gear with the driveshaft 4, whereby the drive-gearing may be thrown into and out of action, as required. The clutch 5 is slidable upon the drive-shaft 4, but is adapted to turn therewith and is operable by means of a lever 6 or other contrivance commonly employed for throwing a clutch mechanism into and out of gear.

The translator 7'for transmitting motion from the driver 3 to the part 2 consists of a ring which is preferably toothed upon its inner side to mesh with the teeth of the driver 3 and is provided upon its outer side with teeth or cogs 8 to enter the spaces 9 formed between the teeth or cogs 10 of the rim or driven element 2. The spaces 9 between the cogs 10 are longer than the cogs 8 to admit of the parts 2 and 7, having a limited circumferential play, whereby the intermeshing teethbetween the translator'and driver are prevented from shock and abnormal strain when the drive-wheel receives a jolt, as by dropping into a rut or depression or when passing over a stone, root, or like obstructiori. The translator or power-transmitting ring in addition to having a limited circumferential play likewise has a limited radial movement, thereby preventing jamming of the cog-teeth between the parts 3 and 7. The translator is held in a central position and with its teeth in meshing relation with the teeth of the driver by means of suitable springs 11, which are interposed between the parts 7 and "2, said springs being preferably connected to the driven element or rim 2.

In practice the invention when applied to a mountain freight-Wagon has duplicate drivegearing arranged for cooperation with each hind or drive wheel, and the clutch mechanism is so disposed as to enable the operator to throw one or both of the drive-wheels out of gear when required. Obviously the invention may be applied to a traction-engine or to mechanically-propelled vehicles or carriers of any type, the essential feature being the translator loosely mounted intermediate of the driver and the driven element or part.

The driver 3 is of less width than the translator 7 to admit of the drive-wheel having play upon the spindle or axle frame without causing binding of the driver with either one of the guard-rings 12, secured to the sides of the toothed rim or driven element 2 and serving to house the translator and to overlap the joint formed between said translator and driver. These guard-rings 12 are attached to the part 2 and to the drive-wheel by the same clips or fastenings 13 employed for attaching the part 2 to the spokes of the drive-wheel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination, a drive-wheel, a toothed driver, a rim rigid with the drive-wheel and having inner regularly-spaced projections, and'a translator interposed between the said toothed driver and rim and having a limited circumferential and radial play, and having outer projections extended into the spaces formed between the inner projections of the said rim, and having inner teeth to mesh with the teeth of the toothed driver, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a drive-wheel, a toothed driver, a rim rigid with the drive-wheel and having inner regularly-spaced projections, an annular translator interposed between the said toothed driver and rim and having a lim ited circumferential and radial play, and having outer projections extended into the spaces formed between the inner projections of the said rim, and having inner teeth to mesh with the teeth of the toothed driver, springs interposed between the rim and translator to hold the teeth of the latter in positive engagement with the teeth of the driver at all times, and

means for preventing lateral displacement of ARTHUR MILLS. [L. S.)

Witnesses EDWIN, MILLS, F. H. THoMs. 

